Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Why me receiving credit matters

I find myself being aggravated when I hear people make statements like, “It shouldn’t matter who gets the credit as long as God gets the Glory.” I feel that when people make this statement it's an opportunity to deflect accountability and responsibility.As a motivator to get things done, I believe in accountability. I'm also a fan of receiving credit, because as a mentor of today's youth, I need to help them understand that problems are caused and solved by people.

I respect the need to be humble when individuals are a part of a team working to accomplish a specific goal. I ascribe to C.S. Lewis's definition of humility, "True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less."

1 John 4:15 (ESV) reads: “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”

The irony of this verse, with respect to man deflecting credit when God works through him, is that John is credited as the author of this book in the Bible that millions regard sacred.

My calling in life is to be significant by serving millions and bringing them into a relationship with Christ, starting with my wife, Kelli, and our daughters, Mackenzi and Mackenna. Let’s break that down into six bite-sized chunks:

1. Calling

I have my own personal calling in life, and so do you. I found mine in my suffering. The questions I asked myself in order to determine my calling were:

What do I worry about?

What do I dream about?

What do I cry about?

What do I laugh about?

I worry about yielding to temptations that take me away from my submission to Christ. I dream of being recognized as one of the greatest sports coaches and mentors of all time. I cry about people living lives of hopelessness. I laugh when I see hope in the lives of all children.

2. SignificanceSuccess is what you do, while significance is who you are and what you give.

3. Serving MillionsThere are some who subscribe to the notion of serving and saving one person at a time. I support that while I desire to serve and save millions by the power of God.

4. Relationship with ChristA relationship with Christ doesn’t remove trials and tribulations on earth, but it does guarantee spending eternity with him ruling and reigning.

2 Timothy 2:12 (ESV)“If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.”

5. My Wife KelliEphesians 5:25 (ESV)“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

6. My Daughters Mackenzi (age 15) and Mackenna (age 9)Titus 2:4 (ESV)“And so train the young women to love their husbands and children.”

Jesus Christ is the standard for living a life of commitment, faith and endurance. He was God, while also being a man like me who deals with temptations and frustrations.

EnduranceRomans 5:23 (ESV)“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.”

Jesus TemptedHebrews 2:18 (ESV)“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Jesus Frustrated

Matthew 21:12 (ESV)

“And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.”

Acknowledgement from our love ones, employers and peers can be more valuable than money, and there are endless opportunities for us to want to quit doing God’s will. This is another reason why I have issue with the trite (overly used) statement, “It shouldn’t matter who gets the credit as long as God gets the Glory.”

One day, every knee will bow and confess that God is our Lord and Savior. And every name either will or will not be in the Book of Life. God has a Son whose name is Jesus, who receives the credit for dying on the cross for the sins of all. And God the Father receives the Glory for that.

Isaiah 45:23 (ESV)“By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'”

Revelation 20:15 (ESV)“And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

If it’s important for humans to have names, and if we all have talents and gifts from God, then I believe that it's alright for us to receive credit for the things that God is allowing us to do, so that He ultimately receives the Glory for.

Who gets the call if your bills aren’t paid?

Who gets the call when you receive a promotion and raise at your job?

Do you want your name in the Book of Life?

Will someone else stand before God for you?

God created everything that we enjoy on earth, and one day it will all pass. I believe that God should get the Glory in all things that I do for Him as one of His imperfect disciples because of The Great Commission.

Matthew‬ ‭28:17-20‬ ‭(ESV‬‬)“And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."